Display canister



Jan 27, 1970 R. P. cHRlsTlANsEN 3,491,543

DISPLAY CANISTER Filed Jan. 15, 1968 fr if United States Patent O 3,491,548 DISPLAY CANISTER Robert P. Christiansen, Wayzata, Minn., assignor to Product Promotions, Inc., Wayzata, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 697,805 Int. Cl. A47f 3/04 U.S. Cl. 62-255 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A display canister particularly adapted for retaining and displaying point of purchase food items, the display means comprising a receptacle having a bottom and an annular storage zone defined by a central upstanding hollow post housing and an outer perforate cup-shaped member disposed generally coaxially with said post, with thermal control means arranged and confined within a second annular zone and disposed outwardly of the walls of said cup-shaped member and in open communication with the hollow interior of said post for maintaining the temperature of the storage zone at a predetermined level. The hollow post is provided with an open end adjacent the top thereof, and has baffle means disposed along the top surface for directing a flow of air from the interior 0f the post and into the storage zone, fan means or the like being provided for transferring air from the interior of said hollow post against the baille means and into the storage zone. If desired, a centrally disposed shaft may be-positioned within the post element for receiving and retaining advertising indicia thereon.

The present invention relates generally to an improved canister display device, particularly adapted for pointof-purchase sales of food commodities, particularly food commodities requiring a controlled temperature environment. The apparatus is adapted to be conveniently disposed within a store or super market environment, and is preferably rendered portable in order to facilitate movement of the display canister to any desired location.

In ordinary retail outlets, it is frequently desirable to display items such as, for example, pre-packaged food items at selected areas throughout the establishment. In this connection, the value of such a unit is generally proportional to its versatility of use, disposition, and the like. Also, the value of point-of-purchase displays is generally considered proportional to the surface area available for display of advertising or other descriptive indicia. The apparatus of the present invention provides a maximum degree of versatility for positioning the unit within a retail establishment, and further provides a maximum of surface area for retaining and displaying advertising indicia and the like.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, a display canister is provided which is generally cylindrical in configuration, and is provided with a hollow central upstanding post. Thermal control means such as, for example, cooling coils or the like are disposed around the outer circumference of the cup-shaped receptacle, the display canister further being provided with means for continuous transfer of air from a cooling zone to the internal areas or confines of the assembly. Thus, hot-spots are effectively eliminated and the device is capable of retaining a charge of items being displayed without risk of damage due to unfavorable temperature environments.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved point-of-purchase display canister for food items or the like, the unit being provided with a retaining chamber having means for continuously ice transferring thermally conditioned air throughout the entire storage zone.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved point-of-purchase display canister having a means for cooling the contents reasonably uniformly throughout, and further having means for displaying advertising indicia or other descriptive matter thereon.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the display canister of the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional View taken generally through the diameter of the display canister shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a detail fragmentary view on a slightly enlarged scale illustrating the manner in which the internal receptacle is mounted within the canister assembly.

In accordance with the preferred modification, and with particular attention to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the display assembly generally designated 10 includes a base skirt or the like 11 supported on caster elements 12-12, the skirt supporting a generally cylindrical cupshaped storage vessel 13. The storage vessel is provided with an outer skin or the like at 14, which terminates in the upper lip portion 15. A central post 16 is shown in FIGURE 2, this post having an advertising indicia retaining shaft 17 mounted coaXially therewithin, and adapted for retaining the advertising emblem or structure as at 18.

As indicated, the internal confines of the canister 10 retain a plurality of packaged food commodities such as at 20-20, these pre-packaged items being maintained at a reasonably constant temperautre level throughout the entire area of the storage zone. .y

Turning now to FIGURE 2 of the drawiiigs,the display canister 10 is provided with a storage lzone or the like as at 21, this zone being defined by the central upstanding hollow post housing 16, and the outer perforate cup-shaped member 22. The member 22 is perforated as at Z3- 23, in order to permit flow of conditioned air throughout the system, as more fully defined hereinafter. The cup-shaped member 22 is provided with a bottom as at 24, the post 16, along with the cup-shaped member 22 defining and enclosing the annular storage zone 21.

Outwardly of the member 22, there is arranged a Second annular zone 26 which is disposed or defined by the outer insulated wall element 27, and the outer perforated cup-shaped member 23. This second annular zone also includes the area or space between the bottom 24 and the bottom inner wall of the skin 14. Within this annular zone 26, there is disposed a thermal treating coil 28 which. in the device shown in FIGURE 2, is a refrigeration coil coupled to a compressor element 29 by means of the coil extension 30. The transfer of air through the system will then include a cooling of this air as it flows through the second annular zone, and is propelled outwardly by means of a fan mechanism disposed in the confines of the post housing 16. In order to accommodate the coils Within the zone, and permit air transfer therethrough, ribs 31-31 are provided for spacing purposes. As indicated. the ribs 31--31 may extend in a radial direction beneath the lower surface 24 of the cup-shaped member 22.

As indicated, a fan system is utilized to drive air constantly through the system. The fan system includes a motor element 32 having a drive shaft 33 coupled to the bladed fan element 34, as indicated. y

Also, at the upper end of the system, the baffle plate 35 is arranged in order to guide and transfer air from the internal confines of the post 16, and into the storage zone 21. Support posts 36-36 are arranged in order to maintain the disposition of baffle 35.

The indicia retaining shaft 17 passes through the center of Abaille 35 as at 40, suitable bearings or bushings being employed, as indicated. The indicia retaining shaft 17 may be rotated as indicated by arrow 41 by means of the drive motor 42 and the coupling belt 43. Thus, any advertising emblem or structure retained at the top of the shaft at y17 may be caused to rotate, as indicated. Detent means are. provided in the shaft 17 adjacent at the upper end thereof, as is'illustrated at 44, thus permittingflexibility ofinterchanging the advertising emblem or structure 18, when indicated.

When there is a wide temperature differential between the requirements of zone21 and the ambient atmosphere, the storage vessel is provided with an insulating zone 45. This permits a modest amount of power to be usedv to run the thermally conditioning coil 28 such as, vfor example, by means of the refrigerator compressor 29.

As indicated, the baflle plate 35 is arranged .in order to guide and transfer air from the internal connes of the post 16 into the storage zone 21. In order to otherwise control, modify, or disperse the treated air from thisy zone, as it moves outwardly among the material contained within the enclosure, dispersion ports or the like may be provided in order to control this transfer. In this connection, perforations would appear on the surface of the central post 16.

If advertising requirements for the articles being displayed indicate sound reproduction, suitable speaker means for this system may be disposed within the base skirt area, if necessary.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that the various eX- amples provided herein are given for purposes of illustration only, and are not to be construed as a limitation upon the scope of the claims present in this case.

I claim:

1. Food canister display means comprising:

(a) a receptacle having an annular storage zone defined by a central upstanding hollow post housing and an outer perforate cup-shaped member fabricated from a highly thermally conductive material disposed generally coaxially with said post;

(b) thermal control means arranged and conned within a second annular zone and disposed immediately outwardly of the walls of said cup-shaped member anu 1n open communication with the hollow interior 4 l of said post and arranged to maintain the said temperature of said storage zone at a predetermined level;` y

(C) said hollow post having openings for directing and transferring'a ow of air from the interior of said post into said storage zone;

(d) fan means adapted to direct a flow of air from said second annular zone along and through said hollow post, and into said storage zone.

2. The food canister display means as set forth in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said hollow post has a baille means disposed along its top for directing a flow of ai'r from `the interior of said post radially outwardly into said storage zone.

3. The food canister ldisplay means as set forth in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that. a shaft element is disposed generally coaxially with said upstand- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,446,686 8/1948 'Behrens 62-255 2,557,252 6/1951 Bannister 62-239 2,915,884 12/1959 Houshalter 62-256 2,986,019 5/1961 Happel' 62-255 3,009,333 1l/1961 Rainwater 62--256 3,306,068 2/ 1967 Allgeyer 62--255 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

